


Fixer Upper

by clio



Series: Fixer Upper [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blame HGTV, M/M, construction worker chanyeol, designer baekhyun, if you've seen the show 'fixer upper' you know how this goes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-13
Updated: 2015-07-13
Packaged: 2018-04-09 03:03:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4331340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clio/pseuds/clio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chanyeol and Baekhyun are hosts of a new home renovation TV show. If only there was something they could do to renovate and restore their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fixer Upper

_What the hell is that?_

Chanyeol turns back to his saw and continues cutting planks for the siding that would eventually cover the exterior of the house, the piercing pitch of blade against wood enough to drown out, even momentarily, the frantic wails coming from inside.

He gives himself about 15 seconds.

It takes exactly half of that for Baekhyun to storm through the house to find him in his temporary workshop set up in the backyard patio. The pint-sized tour de force comes barging through the newly installed French doors, scowl twisting his lips as his eyes land on the contractor’s form. He calls out for Chanyeol, but the latter just continues to feed more wood against the spinning blade of the electric saw, if only to infuriate the designer even more.

“Park Chanyeol! Chanyeol! I know you can hear me, you idiot!”

Chanyeol finishes his cut, blowing the excess dust from the piece before turning off the saw, his ears ringing a bit in the following silence. Finally, he turns to Baekhyun who is standing with his hands on his hips, displeasure on his face.

“What can do I for you today, Mr. Byun?” he asks in mock innocence, like he doesn’t know exactly what’s ticked Baekhyun off.

“Are you trying to mess up my design plan?” Baekhyun spits out from between clenched teeth. He flings an arm out, a single, wonderfully shapely finger pointing towards the interior of the house. “Because what the hell is that beam still doing in the middle of the living room?

Over Baekhyun’s shoulder, Sehun walks into the patio, takes one look at Chanyeol and Baekhyun before rolling his eyes and muttering _just jump each other already_ while retreating back into the house.

“If you had answered my calls yesterday, you would know that I called an engineer in and we can’t get rid of that beam without first fixing the problems in the foundation. The wall supports alone aren’t enough to hold the weight of—”

“Fix it,” Baekhyun cuts him of flippantly, not interested in the details. “I don’t care how much it costs or how long it takes, just get that ugly beam out of the house. I’m not sacrificing my design plan because you can’t do your job correctly.”

Chanyeol’s face darkens immediately, the humor chased out of his eyes and replaced with something more dangerous. “Look, sweetheart, my job is to make sure this place is structurally sound. I couldn’t care less about your precious little _open concept_ because that ugly beam in there is the only thing that is keep the ceiling from caving in on your pretty head.” Baekhyun forces himself not to cower or retreat as Chanyeol steps closer, towering over him with a smirk pulling at his lips. “And then where would your design plan be?”

It’s unfair, Baekhyun thinks, for Chanyeol to be so tall and imposing like this, smelling like sawdust and sweat and something so wonderfully masculine that Baekhyun just might be a little light-headed and—

“As disgusting as this morning mating dance has been,” Jongdae cuts in from where he stands in the doorway, watching as the pair breaks apart and looks offended at the implication, “Chanyeol, I need you to take a look at something.”

“Coming,” Chanyeol replies and Baekhyun rolls his eyes at the taller’s lame attempt at an innuendo. “Now go run along and get all prettied up for the cameras, Baek. Remember, you’re the beauty and I’m the brawn here.”

“Just don’t forget about the beam, Park. I want it gone,” he says as he shoves past Chanyeol.

 

 

 

Baekhyun stands under the blinding glare of studio lights, already sweating his makeup off as a stylist tucks his hair back in place. All he sees in front of him are an unfamiliar production crew and the cold and imposing stare of cameras. He swallows and wipes his hands on the back of his jeans, tells himself that he can do this. It’s his first time being in front of the camera, and he doesn’t really know what he’s supposed to do or stand or act, and he’s worried about so many things going wrong. But then Chanyeol bounds up to him, his open red flannel billowing behind him as he takes his place beside Baekhyun.

“Sorry I’m late,” he smiles apologetically at Luhan, who is standing by with a clipboard in hand, but he’s too busy talking to someone on his trusty headset to respond.

“Happy you could join us,” Baekhyun says and already feeling more at ease with Chanyeol’s familiar presence by his side. As frustrating as the contractor may be, he is Baekhyun's sole lifeline in this situation. Baekhyun runs his eyes over his partner and co-host as Chanyeol fiddles with the tool belt around his waist. “They’re really going with that whole construction worker look, aren’t they?” he says off-handedly as he reaches out and smoothes down the collar of Chanyeol’s flannel.

“I know that’s just your way of calling me sexy, but I'll take it.” Chanyeol has his signature dopey smile on his face, seemingly unaffected about their first on-camera interview, and Baekhyun wonders how he’s able to manage it. “Make sure you save some of that for the cameras, Byun,” Chanyeol winks, and it is enough to drive away the last of Baekhyun’s nerves.

He shoves the tall contractor away with a scoff. “Get over yourself, Park.”

“Okay, we’re ready,” Luhan directs them, and immediately Chaneyol and Baekhyun turn their attention on the cameras in front of them.

 

 

 

It has only been a couple of months since Baekhyun first got that the call from a producer that was interested in featuring Baekhyun and his designs on a new show for the network. He had been utterly floored, of course, having never harbored the idea, let alone wish, that something like his own show would even be possible, and after the initial shock wore off, Baekhyun was ready to sign all the paperwork immediately.

“We’re still finalizing the format of the show, but essentially we want it to be about taking old 'fixer upper' homes and restoring them. We'll shoot a pilot which we’ll use to present to the network,” Kris explained over the phone. "If they like it, we'll sign you up for a season."

“Great,” Baekhyun replied, barely able to contain his excitement. “That sounds great!”

“One last thing,” Kris said and Baekhyun could hear paper shuffling in the background. “We understand that you work with a Mr… Park. We want to bring him on too, of course, so you don’t have to worry.”

Baekhyun couldn’t be hearing correctly. “Park Chanyeol?”

“Yes, right. Park Chanyeol,” Kris replied. “We understood that you and Mr. Park have collaborated on several homes together, and we have been pleased with the results from your partnership.”

“Oh.”

For the first time Kris sounded a little unsure on the line. “Is there something that I need to be aware of regarding Mr. Park?”

Baekhyun pressed his fingertips to his temples, cursing for the millionth time that his fate seemed to be increasingly tangled up in Chanyeol’s. This was an incredible opportunity, and one that he couldn’t turn down, and yet that meant even more _Chanyeol_ would seep into his life. It would make his life so much easier if Chanyeol wasn’t so good at his job.

“No, not at all,” Baekhyun replied, trying to sound more excited than he felt. “It’s always a pleasure to work with Mr. Park. He’s the best.”

“Glad to hear it,” Kris responded, voice relaxing on the phone. “Because we already talked to him and he said he wouldn’t do it without you.”

 

 

 

As it turns out, Chanyeol is great in front of the cameras. He's personable and approachable, smiles easily and treats the camera like an old friend. Chanyeol _would_ be great at it while Baekhyun stumbles over his words and makes so many missteps, they have to do several takes. It's not that Luhan doesn't like him exactly, but he's just a little frustrated, and he even goes as far as to ask Chanyeol to give a few tips to Baekhyun on how to loosen up in front of the camera. Chanyeol just grins at him lamely and Baekhyun adds it to his long and on-going compilation of reasons to dislike Park Chanyeol.

"I'm still amazed you guys manage to not bite each other's heads off on camera," Jongdae remarks while they're on break. "You guys almost look like friends. It's impressive. Now if only that were always the case..."

"If Park wasn't such a jerk all the time," Baekhyun says from where he's standing with a cup of hot chocolate in his hand. "Then there wouldn't be a problem."

"Do you guys even know what you're arguing about half the time?"

"Does it matter?" Baekhyun tosses back before finishing his drink.

Jongdae laughs at how childlike Baekhyun can be. "You know, I always thought that once you guys put aside all this petty fighting and gave into all that sexual tension, you guys would actually be great together.”

Baekhyun coughs, choking on air. "Jongdae, please, I want to keep my drink down."

"I'm just saying," Jongdae says as he slaps Baekhyun's back. "You guys are already great business partners. Despite your squabbles, you and Chanyeol actually work well together."

"Jongdae," Baekhyun smiles at his friend. "You said it yourself. We're business partners. This is all for business. Even I can fake laugh at Chanyeol's jokes for the sake of business."

Jongdae just sighs. "Right. My mistake."

 

 

 

A week after their first confrontation about the beam, Baekhyun slams a piece of paper down in front of him while he’s just trying to eat his lunch. It looks suspiciously like an invoice. “What the hell is this?” Baekhyun demands, not caring about the scene he’s making in front of the crew.

“You know, you really need to stop beginning our conversations like that,” Chanyeol says easily, wiping the corner of his mouth with his napkin. “A simple _hey Chanyeol, sexiest contractor to ever wear a tool belt_ would suffice.”

“In your dreams, Park.”

“And what would you know about my dreams, Byun?”

“Ew gross, I’ve lost my appetite,” Sehun moans as he stands up and tosses the rest of his sandwich in the trash, mumbling something that sounds like _can’t even eat my lunch in peace._

Chanyeol sits back, annoying smirk on his face as he folds his hands across his taut stomach. “Well, now that I’ve annoyed Sehun my mood has sufficiently improved. How may I be of service to you, Mr. Byun?”

“$6000 dollars,” Baekhyun spits, ignoring the subtle flirting tone in Chanyeol’s voice. “$6000 dollars,” he repeats. “What the hell, Chanyeol, that wasn’t in the budget!”

“But look!” Chanyeol gestures widely to the living room that flows directly into the kitchen and dining room without obstruction. “There’s no beam! It’s all open, just like you wanted! I thought you would come here and shower me with praises to show just how grateful you are that I figured it out—in record time, I might add. We’re on schedule.”

“But in the hole $6000!” Baekhyun yells, slapping the invoice into Chanyeol’s chest. “You should have discussed this with me, Park.”

“Sweetheart, you said yourself that you didn’t care how much it cost to get that open concept you like so much.”

“Don't call me that. And I thought it would be a couple thousand at most. Where do you think we’re going to make up that money?”

Chanyeol smiles again, “You’re not just a pretty face, I’m sure you can think of something we can sacrifice a little.”

“And by ‘something’ you mean my design plan.” Baekhyun shakes his head. “Of course. Maybe you haven’t yet grasped how big of a deal this project is, but it needs to be perfect. Perfect. And for it to be perfect it needs to _look_ perfect. Which means you can’t just blow $6000 of the design money on your shit. I know you think everything is all good and fun on the construction site as long as Chanyeol gets his laughs in, but some of us take our jobs seriously.”

“I take my job plenty seriously. And I tried to call you!”

“Whatever,” Baekyhyun scoffs, not wanting to concede anything to Chanyeol. “If you could do me a favor and quit making my work harder than it has to be, that would be great. You always think you can get away with it just because—”

“Believe it or not, I’m just trying to do my job, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol cuts in, suddenly serious. “You wanted the beam gone, and I did everything I could, pulled in late nights to get it done right without setting us back too much in either time or money. I really tried, and I’m exhausted from it, so the last thing I need is you coming here like I ruined this whole project just because you now have to get 2nd-in-line finishes instead of top of the line. You’re ridiculous.”

Baekhyun grits his teeth. “I am not—”

“Also, get over yourself. I’m not just fucking with you for the hell of it.” Chanyeol stands, tossing the remnants of his own lunch in the trash. “Not everything is about you.”

Baekhyun ignores the frustrated look on Chanyeol’s face, and the sting in his chest caused by his words as he watches Chanyeol walk away.

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol practically sighs into his glass at the end of the day, his whole body winding down from the backbreaking work and stress of rushing towards a deadline. And, on top of that, the argument he had with Baekhyun earlier has left him in a particularly bad mood. Chanyeol isn’t used to it, his natural inclination is to snap back from setbacks with relative ease, but he hasn’t been able to shake the dark cloud that has descended upon him, and it bothers him.

“I’ll be happy when we can wrap up this project. It’s more stress than usual,” Jongdae pipes up from next to him. They’re at a tiny hole in the wall of a bar, their usual haunt because Jongdae likes to flirt with a bartender here, which is a hilarious enough reason for Chanyeol to say _yes_ when Jongdae invites him out with a couple of guys from the crew. The other reason, of course, is that Chanyeol is desperate to get out of his funk, and what better way than to get shit-faced drunk.

“Me too,” Sehun agrees from the other side of Jongdae before his eyes flick towards Chanyeol. “I’ve had about enough of the Park-Byun saga for a while yet.”

Jongdae snickers, but Chanyeol ignores them both. He doesn’t want to talk about Baekhyun, not when he feels guilty about the things he said to the designer in a fit of anger. Not when he feels so wronged by the things Baekhyun had flung in his face.

“This is only your second project with them, oh young _pada-sehun_ ,” Jongdae begins before bringing his drink to his lips. “When you work with these two for as long as I have, you won’t even bat an eye over their weird and strange flirtation habits. It wasn’t always like that though.”

“What do you mean?”

This time, Chanyeol rolls his eyes, not wanting to bring up the past. “Nothing. He means nothing. You know how Jongdae likes to gossip. And we don’t flirt. There’s nothing—”

“In the beginning,” Jongdae announces gravelly, turning towards Sehun with a glimmer in his eye. Chanyeol groans and gives up, head falling into his open hand. Jongdae, really, needs to learn when to mind his own business. “Chan and Baek were so obviously smitten with each other, always being so sweet to one another, always clinging to one another, always walking around with huge dumb smiles on their faces—it was even more gross than it is now,” he laughs, throwing his head back. “It was becoming a problem, we couldn’t get things done with the way Chanyeol was following Baekhyun around like a puppy.”

“Hey! I didn’t follow him around!”

“He totally did,” Jongin drops as he passes by on his way to the restroom, and Chanyeol has never felt more betrayed.

“So what happened?” Sehun prompts and Jongdae takes another sip from his drink in a poor attempt at prolonging the suspense. Chanyeol would laugh if he wasn’t feeling so wronged.

“That’s the thing no one knows,” Jongdae replies, shaking his head sadly for dramatic effect. “One day they were undressing each other with their eyes across the site, the next day they’re at each other’s throats. It’s a mystery to this day what happened between them.”

“Guys,” Chanyeol breaks in. “I can hear you. I’m sitting right here.”

“Okay then,” Sehun looks at him and Chanyeol almost regrets drawing their attention to him. “What happened between you and Byun Baekhyun?”

That’s a more loaded question than Sehun thinks, because it’s hard to put to words all that has happened between Baekhyun and himself. Or, to be more specific, what hasn’t happened between them.

It’s all true, what Jongdae had told Sehun. Or, mostly true, not that Chanyeol would admit it now. The first day that he showed up on site, the nervous contractor with his first big time client, he was stunned to find the prettiest set of eyes in the face of the project’s designer. Baekhyun, then, as now, had been breathtaking. It had been winter, and the young designer had a thick scarf wrapped and wrapped and wrapped around his neck, but even that wasn’t enough to hide the elegant slope of Baekhyun’s mouth nor the way his eyes crinkled into little half moons when he laughed.

And when Baekhyun had laughed, melodic and tumbling, Chanyeol felt that he had lost his heart right then and there.

He had spent the rest of the day trailing behind Baekhyun as they went from room to room, Baekhyun explaining which walls he wanted to knock down, where he was hoping to expand the room, and asking Chanyeol to pull up the carpet to see if there were hardwood floors waiting to be restored.

From then on, whenever Baekhyun dropped by the site, which seemed to be often, he and Chanyeol were practically attached to the hip, sharing jokes and small touches, coffees, and lingering glances.

It came out of nowhere, at least from Chanyeol’s perspective, that those few fleeting weeks of flirtation turned sour, and the sweet Baekhyun who stood too close and blushed under his fingertips, was replaced by the hell-spawn Baekhyun with his sharp tongue that caused devastation every time he arrived on the site, which thankfully wasn’t too often.

It had been almost a year now, of this constant bickering, this incessant back and forth that pushed the boundaries of politeness, and the thing that kept them together was the begrudging acknowledgement that, despite their arguments, they made a pretty good team. Baekhyun was a gifted designer, that had been all too apparent to Chanyeol since the very first day, and Chanyeol was extremely good at not only getting things done, but at commanding respect from a large crew of workers that turned out great results. Theirs was a great working relationship, even if their personal one was in tatters.

“Earth to Chanyeol,” Jongdae waves a hand in front of his face, snapping Chanyeol out of his reverie. “You okay there, space cadet?”

Chanyeol sees his co-workers looking at him with expressions bordering amusement and he’s quick to recover. “Nothing happened. Honestly,” and that was the truth as far as Chanyeol was concerned.

“But then why do you and Baekhyun hate each other?” Sehun shakes his head. “It doesn’t make sense.”

It didn’t make sense to Chanyeol either, and yet there they were. “Things are complicated,” he edges, “but I don’t hate Baekhyun.”

“No?”

“No. I wouldn’t work with someone I hate.”

“Great,” Jongdae smirks at Chanyeol, clapping him on the back with a strong hand. “Then you won’t care that I invited Baekhyun to join us, and he’s just walked in.”

Chanyeol shoots out of his stool, or would have if Jongdae’s hand hadn’t been there to push him back down with a stern warning. “Behave.”

“ _Tell that to Byun_ ,” Chanyeol hisses before he sees the sandy haired designer approach their small group. Sehun looks like he wants to bolt, not wanting to bear witness to another argument during off hours, but a pointed look directed his way from Chanyeol pins the young boy to his seat.

“Yo, Baekhyun!” Jongdae greets him with a wave of his hand and a bright smile. “Glad you could make it.”

“I was in the area so…” Baekhyun nods to Sehun, who barely manages to return the gesture.

“Great! We saved you a seat,” Jongdae points to the empty stool besides Chanyeol. “Order whatever you like, the first round is on me!”

Baekhyun says his thanks before gingerly sitting himself down on the empty seat, eyes drifting towards Chanyeol for a moment. “Park,” he says by way of acknowledgment.

“Byun,” Chanyeol replies, as he tips back his beer to finish it off before ordering another. He can already tell it’s going to be a long evening.

 

 

 

By the time Baekhyun slides off his stool to follow Chanyeol, they’re both several drinks in which, thankfully for those around them, make the pair more prone to trading barely concealed innuendos and teasing smiles than angry blows. It’s Baekhyun who finally decides to put an end to their yearlong flirtation.

“I’ll be back,” he mumbles as he gets up and Jongdae just grins gleefully, knowing look in his eye.

“No need to hurry,” he winks before turning his attention back to the bartender.

When Baekhyun steps into the dingy restroom, he finds Chanyeol bent over the sink, hair damp and water dripping from his chin. His startled eyes meet Baekhyun’s hazy ones in the mirror. Chanyeol straightens, pulling at paper towels to wipe mindlessly at his face, an uneasy smile on his face. Baekhyun leans against the door, his eyes appreciating the way Chanyeol’s jeans sit on his hips, the way his t-shirt pulls across the muscles of his chest, and the long fingers that tap nervously at the edge of the sink counter. Even as much as he’s hated Park Chanyeol over the past year, he’s been undeniably attracted to him. Ever since he showed up on the site and stumbled upon the contractor in his slim jeans, sleeveless shirt showing off his arms even in the dead of winter, a light sheen on his skin from exertion.

Baekhyun doesn’t quite remember, but he’s pretty sure he almost swooned when Chanyeol finally looked up and sent him his first disarming grin.

“Baek…” Chanyeol snaps Baekhyun out of his reverie.

And in the next moment, Baekhyun has Chanyeol pressed up against the sink, hands sinking into the taller boy’s dark locks, groaning as he smashes their lips together. There’s no art in the kiss, no technique, just pure unadulterated lust that has Baekhyun pressing up against Chanyeol, eager, needy for more. Chanyeol returns the kiss, tongue plundering, and those same large hands running down Baekhyun’s spine to settle on his ass.

He gasps when Baekhyun sucks on his Adam’s apple, the same one that Baekhyun has fantasized about in countless waking dreams, and the sensation shooting desire straight to Chanyeol’s core. He ruts against Baekhyun, panting heavily in his ear, as the smaller boy’s hands find their way to Chanyeol’s belt.

“Baek,” Chanyeol moans when Baekhyun nips at his neck and shoves his fingers, his beautiful, beautiful fingers, down the front of Chanyeol’s pants. “Wait, Baek…” he says desperately, eyes snapping open. “Baekhyun, wait a second.”

Baekhyun stalls his hand, fingers wrapped loosely around Chanyeol’s erection, and it takes everything in Chanyeol not to thrust up into his hands. “I-I’ve seen the way you look at me,” Baekhyun whispers darkly, eyes blown wide by lust and lips red and sinfully swollen. “I know you want this,” he makes a point by tightening his grip on Chanyeol’s dick and thumbing at the head, which draws an obscene moan from the taller boy.

It’s true that Chanyeol has thought about this moment more than he cares to admit, has jerked off to Baekhyun’s face and fingers and the memory of him laughing. He does want Baekhyun, wants him more with every passing moment, every tug of Baekhyun’s hands.

“Yeah, okay, just—” Chanyeol is losing his ability to think and form sentences with the way Baekhyun is stroking him. “Not here.” He leans down to capture the sweetness of Baekhyun’s mouth once more before the pair stumbles out of the restroom and out of the bar.

 

 

 

They end up at Chanyeol’s apartment, and he doesn’t give Baekhyun even a moment to comment on his furnishings or the selection of art on his walls (there’s none) before he’s kissing Baekhyun and moving them into his room.

They fuck frantic and hard on Chanyeol’s bed, madly racing towards an orgasm long denied that leaves Chanyeol gasping and weak, and Baekhyun groping blindly at the sheets and headboard, Chanyeol’s name falling from his lips in needy desperation.

They fuck again in the hazy hours before dawn, this time slow and deep but just as intense, taking the time to know and marvel at the dips and curves of each other’s bodies. Chanyeol loves how soft Baekhyun’s skin is, how he shivers when Chanyeol’s fingers run up his sides. Baekhyun groans the first time he sees Chanyeol shirtless, the toned muscles of his chest and stomach are practically straight out of his adolescent wet dreams, and Baekhyun makes sure to lavish attention on each and every one.

After they finish, thoroughly sated and boneless, they collapse into each other, all arms and legs and blissed-out smiles.

 

 

 

When Baekhyun wakes in the morning, it’s to Chanyeol’s dopey face grinning down at him. He’s still shirtless (to Baekhyun’s delight), with his hair sticking out in all directions, a smattering of love bites covering his neck and chest. And Baekhyun takes not a little pride in how thoroughly satisfied Chanyeol looks.

“Morning, sweetheart,” Chanyeol says, swooping down to kiss Baekhyun’s dry mouth. “How are you feeling?”

Baekhyun ignores the way his stomach flips at the concern in Chanyeol’s face, in his words. “Good. Fine. A little sore, but good,” he replies, voice strained. He watches as relief spreads through Chanyeol’s features and Baekhyun finds himself at a loss. “What time is it?” he asks.

Chanyeol glances at his bedside clock, almost as if he’d forgotten about the concept of time. “Almost noon.”

“Shit, I’ve got to go,” Baekhyun says and extracts himself from Chanyeol’s embrace, only wincing when he has to gather his clothing scattered around the room.

“So soon?” Chanyeol asks, sitting up and watching Baekhyun pull up his underwear and pants. “I was going to make us breakfast.”

“Sorry, Park,” he says instead, throwing his shirt back on and trying to flatten his hair down. He’s too busy freaking out over waking up in Park Chanyeol’s bed to care about tact.

“Do you want to shower at least?” Chanyeol offers quietly.

“I’m late enough as it is,” Baekhyun replies as he finishes gathering his things. He turns to Chanyeol, who is wearing an unknown emotion all over his face. “Thank you anyway,” he says as he bends down and kisses Chanyeol softly on he cheek. “This was…nice, Park.”

“Baek…” Chanyeol reaches out and holds his wrist, opening his mouth to say something, but after a moment just says, “Wait a second while I dress and I’ll walk you out.”

“Who knew you were this sweet in the morning?” Baekhyun tries to tease even as he inches away. “There’s no need. I’ll just let myself out. See you on Monday, Park!” he calls out before he leaves Chanyeol naked and alone in his apartment.

 

 

 

If Baekhyun can excuse himself for once sleeping with the enemy in an alcohol-induced haze, he’s not sure what reasons and excuses he has for pulling Chanyeol into the dusty and abandoned pool house on Monday, climbing into the sturdy arms of the contractor and sucking on Chanyeol’s tongue.

“Baek…” They've just finish another filming session and luckily everyone was out at lunch, leaving Baekhyun to hastily tug at the straps of his Chanyeol's tool belt. "I don't think—"

Chanyeol groans when Baekhyun slides his tongue in his mouth, then gives up trying to talk altogether. Why bother when Baekhyun is kissing him, slow and long and bone deep, draining the fight out of him. When he can breathe again, he’s taken aback by the desire apparent in Baekhyun’s eyes, no longer dimmed by the effects of alcohol but burning brightly against the fading afternoon light.

Baekhyun gives him own last look before dropping to his knees.

 

 

 

Tuesday finds Baekhyun straddling Chanyeol in the cramped compartment of Chanyeol’s truck, Baekhyun bracing himself against the ceiling as he reaches completion with Chanyeol’s hand on his dick. Afterwards, Chanyeol is grateful for the brand new shock absorbers he had installed the month prior.

 

 

 

On Wednesday, they end up back in Chanyeol’s apartment where they don’t even make it into the bedroom, fucking in the hallway until they’re both spent and Chanyeol carries them to bed on shaky legs. This time, Baekhyun stays for breakfast but as things go Baekhyun ends up bent over the table when Chanyeol decides he’s had enough of Baekhyun’s teasing and complaints about the food he’s cooked.

 

 

 

 

"I freaking knew it would happen," Jongdae teases.

"About time," Jongin throws in.

"It's still gross," Sehun shakes his head.

 

 

 

The following Friday is extremely busy, the whole crew working double-time to get the house ready for the big reveal the following day. Baekhyun is running about, directing trucks with loads of furniture to stage the home, stepping over Sehun and Jongin who are crouched in hallways making last minute touch ups to the walls, scrunching his nose while telling Jongdae _no your other left_ while they center frames, sconces, and other fixtures over feature walls and dining tables, or arranging flowers in vases for that perfect welcoming touch.

Come nightfall, Baekhyun bids the rest of the crew a good evening, a weary grin on his face as he sees them out. He’s got a few more hours of work to do at the house, arranging all the little pieces that will collectively have a big effect and give the space the signature _Byun Baekhyun look_. As tired as he is, he doesn’t mind working alone, actually kind of prefers it, just him and the house and quiet enough for him to get everything exactly as he wants it without electricians or gardeners or painters getting in his way.

Perhaps _quiet_ is a bit of an exaggeration because no sooner is everyone out of the house than Baekhyun has set the in-home audio system to his favorite SNSD album. Almost an hour passes before he hears the front door open, a bundled up Chanyeol sweeping through the foyer and effectively scaring Baekhyun out of his _dance-sing-decorate-repeat_ party.

“I was this close to kicking your ass. I thought you were a robber,” Baekhyun scolds once he’s turned off the music. But he’s not too upset, not with the bags Chanyeol’s setting on the kitchen counter that look a lot like take out.

“I tried knocking,” Chanyeol says in his defense. “I guess you were too busy getting down to _Gee_ to hear it. Girl’s Generation, really?”

Baekhyun can tell by the teasing tone in Chanyeol’s voice that he’s aiming to get a rise out of him, but even then Baekhyun still can’t help but bite. “I was testing out the sound system, if you must know. And _Gee_ is an awesome song and— _shut up_ ,” he scowls at Chanyeol’s bark of laughter. “Please tell me you brought food.”

At that, Chanyeol starts pulling various containers out of the bags. “I just went down the street so it’s nothing fancy, but I got us a few things since I wasn’t sure what you wanted.” Baekhyun raises his eyebrows because “a few things” looks like Chanyeol ordered one of everything on the menu.

“I made sure they didn’t put cucumbers in anything though,” Chanyeol adds before pulling out two paper cups. “And I also got you a hot chocolate because I know how much you like sweets after eating.”

Baekhyun feels a fluttering warmth descend upon him, spreading from his chest and reaching down to his toes. He quickly chases away the feeling, focusing instead on how dumb Chanyeol looks, sitting there on a stool and looking at him with a smirk on his face because he knows he’s done well. It’s infuriating, but even so, Baekhyun can’t really be mad.

He steps forward and slides his arms around Chanyeol’s shoulders, slipping in between his legs. Baekhyun kisses Chanyeol softly once, chaste but warm. “Thank you,” he whispers against his lips before drawing back. The tall contractor looks somewhat surprised, but the expression slips right off his face as he exhales happily, drawing little circles on the small of Baekhyun’s back.

“You’re welcome,” Chanyeol replies, content to have all of Baekhyun’s attention for once. “I missed you today. Even though we were both here, I felt like you were planets away.”

“Mmm,” Baekhyun kisses the corner of Chanyeol’s mouth before finally breaking away. “Today was insane. And I’m starving.”

 

 

 

After dinner, Chanyeol finds himself in a new role, that of Baekhyun’s design assistant. The pair move throughout the house, room to room, and add all the finishing touches until everything comes together exactly the way that Baekhyun envisioned. In the end, Baekhyun got the open concept he wanted, the look he designed, and the end result was perfect.

“We did it, Park,” Baekhyun says wearily, head resting on Chanyeol’s shoulder, the both of them sitting on the couch and taking everything in. “Well done.”

“Always a pleasure to work with you, Byun,” Chanyeol tosses back, but even he’s fighting a losing battle against sleep. The couch is just too comfortable and Baekhyun too warm. "The open concept really does look great."

"And even if I didn't get all the fixtures I wanted, I don't even think you can tell," Baekhyun replies before yawning.

"Looks like a million bucks."

"Park?" Baekhyun asks, mumbling against Chanyeol's shirt. "I really hope this works out."

Chanyeol glances down at Baekhyun, whose eyes have fluttered shut, sleeping softly on his shoulder.

"Me too."

 

 

 

In the end, they end up testing out another feature of the house, the bed of the master bedroom, Chanyeol sighing into the mattress and Baekhyun congratulating himself on not skimping on the thread count. The second after Chanyeol turns off the lights, Baekhyun is pressing against his side, nuzzling under his arm and into his chest, breath ghosting along his neck. Chanyeol wraps an arm around Baekhyun and pulls him in closer. If Chanyeol has any questions about what’s happening, he sets them aside when he hears Baekhyun mutter a drowsy _Night, Yeol._

He quite likes the sound of that.

 

 

 

Baekhyun wakes the next morning to Chanyeol drawing lazy circles on his shoulder and arm. It’s early yet, the sun just barely breaking over the horizon, and he’s staring with a far off gaze, brow furrowed in contemplation. It’s unusual for Baekhyun to see Chanyeol like this, so he stares a while, head resting on Chanyeol’s chest, until Chanyeol finally notices Baekhyun’s awake.

“Hey,” he says and Baekhyun loves the sound of Chanyeol’s voice in the morning—raw and deep in his ear.

“Are you okay?” Baekhyun asks, his own voice breaking from disuse. “You seem like you were thinking a big think,” he tries playfully.

But Chanyeol doesn’t respond right away, eyes darting around the room and taking in the sight of a mussed Baekhyun in a bed that belongs to neither of them in a house that they created together.

“Baek,” Chanyeol shifts so that he’s lying next to Baekhyun, their faces close on the pillow. “What’s going on here? With us?” he manages, eyes imploring as they bore into Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun breaks eye contact, rolling over and kicking the sheets from his legs. “I think we should go. We have the big reveal today and need to clean up before the camera crew gets here,” he avoids.

Chanyeol reaches out and wraps a hand around Baekhyun’s wrist, keeping him in bed. “Hey, talk to me,” he pleads. “Why do you always freak out when I bring this up?”

“I’m not freaking out,” Baekhyun does a poor job of convincing him. Not with the way his eyes have that caged-in animal look in them. Chanyeol has tried several times to broach the subject of whatever is going on between them, but every time he does, Baekhyun makes excuses or slips away, sometimes even avoiding the question altogether by kissing it away.

It was a mistake, Baekhyun knew, falling into bed with Chanyeol last night for snuggles and now he’s reaping the consequences. “You don’t have to do this, okay? I get it.”

“Get what?” Chanyeol asks, voice rough from sleep but determined. Baekhyun looks so small, his voice even smaller. “Get what, Baekhyun?”

“This! What this is,” Baekhyun spits. "And what this isn't."

He’s avoided having this question this entire time because of what he knows Chanyeol is going to say. That he’s not serious. That they’re just messing around. Having fun. Baekhyun doesn’t want to hear those words, even as he knows them to be true. “We’re just messing around, right? We’re good together, so why question it. I get it, so you don't have to say it.”

It’s what Baekhyun told himself after their first night together, and every subsequent encounter after. He’d be safe, as long as he kept things strictly physical. No emotional attachments because Park Chanyeol was a proven flirt and heartbreaker.

Chanyeol releases his wrist. “So that’s all this is? Just hooking up? An easy convenience?”

“Isn’t it?” Baekhyun cries. “Isn’t that what I am to you?”

“No. It wasn’t about that for me. I was always serious about you, Baekhyun.”

“Stop,” Baekhyun shakes his head in an attempt to calm his shattered nerves. “You don’t get to say things like that. Not when it was you who—stop playing with me, Chanyeol!”

“I’m not!” Chanyeol yells back. “I’m not playing with you! I’m serious about you now; I was serious about you a year ago. You’re the one playing games! One day you’re sweet, the next day you’re ready to bite my head off, the next day you’ve got your hand down my pants in the restroom. I never know where I stand with you. I never know which Baekhyun I’m going to get, and I’m sick of it.”

Baekhyun slips out of bed, begins throwing on whatever clothing he can find. “I can’t trust anything you say. You—”

Chanyeol looks stricken at his accusations, his hands carding through his hair in frustration. “When have I ever given you a reason not to trust me, Baek? I’ve tried so hard to get you to see me as something more than just your sex buddy.”

“I heard you,” Baekhyun whispers, avoiding Chanyeol’s gaze. “A year ago. I was coming to bring you coffee and I heard you talking to the guys. About me. You said…you said, that you were just messing around. Having fun with me. That there wasn’t anything to be serious about.”

Chanyeol groans. He remembers that day clearly. The guys were giving him a hard time about Baekhyun, as usual, and he had downplayed their fledgling relationship. It wasn’t any of their business anyway.

"You can't deny you said it. I heard you," Baekhyun states and all of his hurt is right there on display for Chanyeol to see.

"Baek, I’m sorry that you got hurt because of my carelessness. I really was having a great time with you and I did say that we weren’t serious…but that didn’t mean that I didn’t want to be,” Chanyeol reaches out for Baekhyun’s hand, who allows him to take it. Chanyeol rubs this thumb over the skin of Baekhyun's knuckles, takes a breath. “I like you, Byun. A lot. For a very long time. And I want things to get very serious with us,” he says softly.

“But you were always so mean to me—” Baekhyun protests.

“Because you wouldn’t pay attention to me otherwise!” Chanyeol explains with a sheepish grin on his face. “It was childish, I know, but you were so cold to me and wouldn't speak to me. If I didn’t act out then you’d just continue to ignore me. Even if you were snapping my head off, at least you’d look at me. That, and you were such an unreasonable little shit.”

“Y-You’re a shameless flirt,” Baekhyun says weakly. He feels his defense crumbling. He’s spent so much time building a fortress against Park Chanyeol, and yet here was the dumb giant, breaking down his walls brick by painful brick. "You aren't serious about anyone..."

“Whom have I flirted with besides you?” Chanyeol tugs Baekhyun back into bed, and smiles at how easily Baekhyun allows himself to fall into Chanyeol’s arms. “This whole time, I’ve only been interested in you.”

“I’m not sure.”

“You know, I really should take offense at how low your opinion of me is,” Chanyeol teases, tucking Baekhyun into his side. “You think I would have sang Girl’s Generation while decorating a house for just anyone?”

Baekhyun begrudgingly laughs and it builds until it's bubbling from his throat, clear and sparkling. He wraps an arm around Chanyeol’s waist. “I guess you really do like me then.”

“I do, indeed,” Chanyeol agrees as he leans in to kiss Baekhyun, tender and soft, hoping to communicate all of his regret, all of his sincerity in a single kiss. "And I'm so sorry for what I said. I'm an idiot."

"Park?" Baekhyun whispers against his lips.

"Byun?"

"Please don't make a fool out of me," Baekhyun says, his vulnerability apparent in his voice and the beseeching look upon his face when Chanyeol gazes at him. Baekhyun is taking a chance on him and he vows right then and there not to make Baekhyun regret it.

"I won't. I promise."

 

 

 

 

“It's crazy that we've wasted a whole year arguing with each other because of a stupid misunderstanding," Chanyeol seems almost angry about it. "We could have been fucking each other’s brains out for a whole year now.”

“Park, you’re so romantic, I swoon,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes but there’s no force behind it. He buries himself even further into Chanyeol's side. “And yet I like you, Chanyeol, all the same.”

“You do?” And it is kind of beautiful, the way Chanyeol's smile spreads across his face, his happiness diffusing through all his features.

Baekhyun nods and snakes a hand up to pull Chanyeol down for yearning kiss. When they part, Baekhyun beams up at Chanyeol, a feeling of lightness and finality flowing through his body. "I’m sorry I doubted you and made you think I was only interested in getting into your pants. I thought that was what you wanted.”

“No, er, I mean I want you in my pants—”

“You do?” Baekhyun teases as he turns and straddles Chanyeol’s lap. At Chanyeol's nod of affirmation, Baekhyun leans in and whispers, “I think I can help you out with that,” before pressing his lips to Chanyeol’s, hips grinding down.

The pair break apart when they hear a shutter sound. They look up to see a tall man standing in the room with his phone aimed at them. “I can’t wait to tell Luhan,” he grins. “This makes for great PR. I’m Kris by the way, and I’m guessing you’re Chanyeol and Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun scrambles off Chanyeol, face aflame as he stands by the bed in nothing but Chanyeol’s oversized shirt. “Um, this isn’t what you think!”

“It’s _exactly_ what you think,” Chanyeol retorts, shit-eating grin on his face despite the glare Baekhyun sends him.

But Kris isn’t really interested, is already heading out the door. “Just make sure you clean those sheets before we start rolling,” he throws over his shoulder before laughing. “And you said there wasn’t anything between you and Mr. Park…”

 

 

 

 

 

_8 months later_

 

“Aren’t you a contractor, isn’t that what you do?” Baekhyun whines as he watches Chanyeol fiddle behind their new big screen TV, a gift from Jongdae, who said it was the least he could do since their getting together helped him win the giant pool of money the crew had bet on when and whether Chanyeol and Baekhyun would ever become a couple.

“Exactly, I’m a contractor, not an electrician,” Chanyeol mutters from behind the set. The screen flickers a few times before coming to life. “Got it!” he grins excitedly and takes his place next to Baekhyun on the floor.

Baekhyun has set out box of pizza, a bowl of popcorn, and a case of beer before them as he fiddles with the remote, seeking the correct channel. “Took you long enough,” he teases when Chanyeol slips an arm around his waist.

“Shh, it’s starting!” Chanyeol exclaims as he sees his and Baekhyun’s faces on the screen.

It had been a whirlwind couple of months after the pilot was picked up and the show went straight into production, throwing Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and their crew into a frenzy of work on the scale they’d never experienced. After 8 months and 8 homes successfully renovated, Chanyeol and Baekhyun are finally getting to see the premiere of their show.

“My hair is awesome,” Chanyeol notes as he chews thoughtfully on his pizza slice.

“You don’t look un-handsome,” Baekhyun concedes.

“Baek, you look so tiny next to me,” Chanyeol continues his commentary. “And that thing they do to your eyes, that eyeliner thing…”

Baekhyun smiles at how engrossed Chanyeol is in the show. “You like it?”

“Mmm,” he hums appreciatively, eyes glued to the TV.

Baekhyun leans in closer, feeling particularly playful, and reaches up to kiss Chanyeol’s neck, hand sliding under his shirt. “Baek…” Chanyeol tries to complain, but it just comes out breathy and needy. “I’m trying to watch.”

“But we haven’t even broken our new home in properly,” Baekhyun practically purrs into Chanyeol’s ear and smiles when he hears the other boy’s breath hitch. They had just purchased their own house together, their own fixer upper, and even in the shabby condition the house was currently in, they felt it was appropriate to move in that day—a fresh start ripe with possibilities. 

“I have big plans for each room in this house,” Baekhyun continues, hands tracing over the muscles of Chanyeol’s stomach, pleased when he feels them clench under his touch. “And that includes having sex with you in all of them.”

“Oh,” Chanyeol breathes as Baekhyun moves into his lap, TV show long forgotten as he settles his hands on Baekhyun’s waist. “Well, then, sex away, Byun.”

“Gladly, Park.”

**Author's Note:**

> This came about because I wanted to try my hand at chanbaek and have been spending waaaay too much time watching "fixer upper" on HGTV. 
> 
> cross-posted at [LJ]()


End file.
